This Tiny, Backyard Home Costs $725 A Month: Owner Is 'Happiest' She's Ever Been

Jen Gressett moved into a tiny home to afford the luxury space she wanted. What she found was so much more.

After her marriage ended in 2018, Gressett moved out of a four-bedroom 3,000-square-foot house in and opted for a 520-square-foot tiny home in someone's backyard.

She told CNBC that she pays just $725 a month for all housing costs. And the limited space actually ended up making her happier than she's ever been.

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The smaller space also changed Gressett's purchasing habits for the better. She used to buy all sorts of unnecessary things on Amazon.com Inc AMZN that cluttered her home. No more. She's now thoughtful about the things she is buying and if she doesn't specifically know where she would store something, she won't buy it.

"This mindset shift has not only saved me money, it has helped me feel more gratitude and take even better care of my things," Gressett said.

She also has fewer things to take care of and less space to maintain. After all, a larger home comes with more tasks. With a tinier space, Gressett has much less cleaning to do and still has room to entertain guests. 

In fact, her kitchen has the most space. That makes it easy for Gressett to host up to five people at a time because spending time with loved ones is what matters to her most. 

Gressett now appreciates the meaningful things in life more, and cares less about "material things."

"When I began my tiny home journey, I struggled with the idea of having to downsize," Gressett said. "But little by little, I became less attached to material things, which in turn gave me a sense of freedom I never expected."

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This illustration was generated using artificial intelligence via MidJourney.

This story is part of a new series of features on the subject of success, Benzinga Inspire.